One year ago today…
I woke up early to catch a beautiful sunrise at a small, neighborhood beach on the island of Maui in Hawaii. Only a few other people were scattered along the long stretch of beach. I enjoyed these moments of quiet, peaceful, serene solitude.
It had taken me some time and effort to arrive in this place. Not the place of Hawaii, but the place of enjoying my own company and feeling at home within myself. Feeling free and at ease.
I visited this same beach every day of my short, spontaneous trip to the island. I stopped by before even arriving at my Airbnb and returned each morning. Sometimes I simply sat on a rock and watched the waves. Other times I ran a few sprints back and forth to feel the sand compress beneath my feet. In other moments I slowly walked back and forth, enjoying the few trees along the coast and watching surfers catch the waves far out into the water.
What I loved most about this trip was that it was last minute. I really felt alive and that I was allowing myself to fully experience the opportunities that were brought my way. Not holding myself back out of fear and telling myself that moments of spontaneous travel were not for me.
My two-night trip to Hawaii had been inspired by an email notification of an amazing deal on a flight from LAX to Maui. Several people thought it was crazy to schedule such a short time in Hawaii. If that’s the case, I think it’s a good kind of crazy.
Other than the flight and finding a place to stay, I planned nothing for the trip beforehand. I relaxed and went with the flow. I trusted myself, the process, and let go of controlling each step of the adventure.
I enjoyed mahi mahi salad overlooking the mountains. I wandered around a farm and found a field of butterflies. I met Hawaiian woodworker craftsmen at Tasty Crust (a local brunch spot) and was invited to tour their workshop. I was gifted a cutting board in the shape of a pineapple made of koa, oak, and pheasantwood.
I went whale watching and saw so many whales that I no longer remember how many there were. Our boat had a maintenance issue, so we stayed out touring for 30 minutes more than we had planned. Since the motor was off, the whales were able to come as close to the boat at they chose – and sometimes it was quite close!
Typically, l love making to-do lists, plans, getting things on the calendar, and covering my workspace with sticky note reminders. I enjoy thinking ahead, getting organized, and knowing exactly how I want to approach any given situation.
My love of planning certainly hasn’t gone away, but it has gained the qualities of flexibility, relaxation, and trust that things will work out. I now have more compassion for myself when there is something I don’t fully plan or when plans do not play out exactly as expected.